


On A Night That Was Dreary

by EK (ilyat)



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, F/M, Flushed Romance | Matesprits, Gen, Illustrated, Pale Romance | Moirallegiance, Poetry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-27
Updated: 2012-12-26
Packaged: 2017-11-22 14:07:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/610632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilyat/pseuds/EK
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In Which The Protagonist Suffers A Loss, Encounters An Alien World, Faces A High-Blooded Adversary, And Allies With An Unexpected Cast To Right Grievous Social Wrongs And Recover Stolen Property. Features One Moiraillegiance, One Matespritship, And Undertones Of Flushed Inter-Species Flirting.</p>
<p>For Ladystuck 2012.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Pursuit

**Author's Note:**

  * For [stellarbird](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellarbird/gifts).



On a night that was dreary and dark with a storm,  
In the house by the river where 'twas safe and warm,  
Young Rose Lalonde had a fight with her mother,  
Who sent her to bed without any supper.

The wind howled like a banshee outside her bedroom,  
Which Rose thought a nice match to her own inner gloom.  
The fight did not matter - she no longer cared,  
But to admit her own fault couldn't be bared.

So instead she curled up in bed with her cat,  
Her cute little Mutie who purred with a pat.  
No books of wizards nor bad-written fanfic  
Would console her now. Into slumber she slipped.

It was past midnight when she awoke with a start,  
An irrational fear stabbing cold at her heart.  
Her room was all dark with nary a sound,  
But dear Mutie was nowhere to be found.

Rose reached for her light, turned it on with a flash,  
And tried to stay calm when she saw her room trashed:  
Tangled yarn was strewn 'cross the floor with no care,  
And watery footprints were nigh everywhere.

There was no sight of Mutie amid the whole wreck  
Save for a ribbon that had been tied round his neck.  
Rose clutched it close as she slipped into the hall,  
And stared at claw marks gouged the length of the wall.

Threefold they were, with each large as a cleaver,  
No doubt left behind by some vengeful reaver.  
Watery footprints continued ahead.  
Rose followed them close with a mounting dread.

They led to the door and into the night;  
Rose grabbed a jacket and a small flashlight  
Before venturing forth into the flurry  
Trying to keep calm in spite mounting worry.

The trail of footprints led through the falling snow.  
She followed them, wondering where they would go.  
Wind whipped at her hair, and frost clung to her face-  
She had to find Mutie soon in this cold place.

But the trail led her through the darkened pine strand.  
Resolute, Rose continued, flashlight in hand,  
Round bend after bend and up a short rise  
Til she stopped and stared ahead in surprise.

The way there was clear but quite unexpected:  
This was the lab SkaiaNet had erected.  
The trail led inside, she noted with chagrin,  
So with a deep breath Rose stepped forward again.

Footprints in the snow changed back to watery steps.  
Slowly she explored the laboratory's depths:  
Rounded a corner with mounting trepidation,  
Then stopped face-to-face with a carapacian.

Not terribly tall, he was clothed all in black -  
He wore a stylish suit and a handsome hat.  
Yet something about him was clearly not right;  
He tried to distract from a retreating light.

Ignoring him, Rose took off at a run  
After the culprit, whose hair was undone  
And streaming behind like a tangle of weeds.  
She could hear poor Mutie - her mews and her pleas.

Rose struggled against her anger and worry,  
But just as she neared her fleeing quarry  
The thief disappeared with a muffled cackle.  
Rose stopped, dumbfounded, no one left to tackle.

Not giving up yet, for she still had her wits,  
She inched forward til she found a gaping pit.  
The thief had escaped through a strange window  
Resting on the floor, its edges aglow.

Glancing left and right, Rose paused again -  
Should she jump through this odd window pane  
Without knowing to where she’d be led?  
Or was there a better route instead?

Behind her then came a raucous clatter.  
She whirled round to see what was the matter.  
Two carapacians both dressed in black  
Stood with knives in hand, ready to attack.

Rose saw her path was already decided.  
She turned, she leaped, and through the window she fled.


	2. The Plan

It seemed like was hours that Rose fell through empty space  
Until finally she landed in quite a strange place.  
Her touchdown was gentle, she was unharmed,  
But the trail was gone, she realized with alarm.

Neither cat nor thief where anywhere to be found;  
No tracks and no claw marks led away on the ground.  
Mutie and bandit had simply disappeared.  
Rose gazed ahead at a world foreign and weird.

Far underground, it was a cavernous city  
With odd bending towers and streets dark and gritty  
Crammed full of people who were not quite human  
Who bustled on by amid the loud din.

Bright neon signs made a baleful rainbow.  
Rose wondered aloud, “Which way should I go?”  
There was a window in the ceiling above:  
She could return home through it, she knew - sort of.

She pressed into the crowd without hesitation,  
A lone human girl in an alien nation.  
There were the insect-people of many styles,  
Frogs and lizards and even some crocodiles.

But most common of all were those with grey skin,  
Some of whom even had ears that were fins.  
They were dark of hair, and horns crowned each head,  
Some hooked, or straight, others curving instead.

“Excuse me, have you-” Rose tried to ask  
Though no one would stop, “-seen my pet cat?”  
Instead they just jostled her to and fro,  
Ignoring the stranger on streets below.

Hours passed by, but still there was no sign  
Of Mutie or thief. Rose felt quite resigned.  
She sat on some steps near a pile of rubble.  
Then someone spoke up, “You look like you’re in trouble.”

Warily Rose looked to the source of the quip:  
There stood a grey troll with one hand on her hip.  
She had long black hair and the horns of a ram.  
With a sigh, Rose answered, admitted, “I am.”

“I lost my pet cat - I mean, he was stolen  
“By some thief in the night. Now I can’t find him.  
“He’s cute, and black, and only about this size.  
“I named him Mutie because he has four eyes.”

“A cat with four eyes!” The lady troll declared  
With apparent concern, “That’s really quite rare.  
“Though truth be told, I maybe have an idea  
Of where he is. By the way- I’m Aradia.”

“I’m Rose,” said Rose, and offered her a smile  
With the first bit of hope she’d had a while.  
“So, does this place have a regular cat-snatcher?”  
“In a way, it does. But it’s quite tough to catch her.”

Rose frowned but let Aradia explain.  
“You see, she is sort of our ruling queen.  
“She has a bad habit of stealing from top-side.  
“Lots of us hate her. Among us there’s a divide.

“In fact, there’s an underground opposition.  
“Which might be your best bet for reposition.”  
Aradia paused, and she eyed Rose keenly.  
“What do you say about challenging Queeny?”

“I don’t really want to get caught in a civil war,”  
Said Rose in turn, “I just want my cat- nothing more.  
“But if this movement is my best chance at aid,  
“Then it is only fair that they be repaid.”

“Perfect!”Aradia clasped her hands in glee.  
“I’m sure we can help - and glad that you agree!”  
Pulling Rose to her feet, she took off at a sprint.  
“Now let’s be off to meet with my moirail’s matesprit!”

They would take the thief-queen herself to court:  
With her deeds given light, she’d lose support.  
And she was assured that they’d exploit every flaw  
In public with her sister-in-law - of law.

The words were as strange as the streets down which they ran,  
Though Rose was still a bit wary of the whole plan.  
None paid them attention as they bounded past stores  
Decorated with gruesome skulls over their doors.

They stopped beside one, and Rose felt a spark of hope.  
A sign read, “Legal counsel: Pyrope & Pyrope.”


	3. The Trial

After introductions were had all around  
It was to business that the three settled down.  
Terezi was sharp and with a matching grin-  
Her mouth like a shark’s with jagged teeth within.

After questioning Rose, she took time to consider.  
She admitted it’d be tough - but she was no quitter.  
Terezi laid out her next plan of attack.  
She warned, “But once we start, there’s no turning back.”

Thin-lipped, Rose gave her a short nod of approval.  
“If it saves Mutie, I’ll help with her removal.”  
“Perfect!” the two trolls cried in unison,  
Aradia shooting twin finger-guns.

“You won’t regret this,” the Ares added,  
With further promise of help left unsaid.  
“Rather than sitting around like a dunce,”  
Rose said with a sigh, “Let’s start this at once.”

Preparation was minimal, the case straightforward,  
And in short time papers were ready to be served.  
After signing, Rose still had to wonder  
If this were for the best or a new blunder.

The court system was so convoluted  
She wasn’t sure if they’d be refuted  
Or if the ruling would be found in their favor -  
So, armed, she’d be prepared to be her cat’s savior.

Terezi assured her she could slip something by:  
Of some knitting needles no one would bat an eye.  
Sharp yet mundane, and easy to grip-  
Something like that would do just the trick.

And Pyrope herself would not go unarmed;  
Sword-cane in hand, she was ready to harm.  
Aradia, too, would play the role they needed -  
Anything that meant the empress were impeded.

“I don’t need keys,” she said with a grin and a wink;  
It helped to have troll-friends with a psionic link.  
Their mission prepared, they just had to wait  
For a royal response and their court date.

It didn’t take long til they marched through the doors  
Of the courthouse as if preparing for war.  
The judge loomed overhead, a tyrannical beast,  
And he watched the counsel as if eyeing a feast.

Drool trailed from his teeth, and his breath was quite rank.  
Rose bit back a grimace and kept her face blank.  
Nearby stood Her Imperial Condescension.  
Glancing from her to Rose, the judge growled, “Let’s begin.”

Both Terezi and Condesce leapt up with a shout:  
The first one to speak had to be overly loud.  
Unfortunately for them, royalty reigned supreme -  
Terezi simply could not match Condesce’s loud scream.

“These allegations are ridiculous!” She sneered,  
Flipping Rose the bird amid a courtroom of jeers.  
“What do you motherfuckers reel-y expect?  
“Not like a human gives trolls any respect!”

“She broke into our kingdom, broke all our laws!  
“Let’s krill the bitch!” The court burst into applause.  
“Nah-ah-ah!” Terezi got in finally,  
“It’s not Rose who’s here by court-ordered decree!”

“It was YOU who broke into her house above!  
“It was YOU who stole something she own and loves!  
“And, even worse, it was YOU who decided  
“To bring a strange beast to where trolls resided!”

“A medical pandemic! You’ve doomed us all!  
“Or is this your new way for starting a cull?”  
Terezi didn’t say more for there was no need:  
The court knew well Condesce’s sadism and greed.

The crowd burst into raucous upheaval -  
Judge turning on them with hunger primeval.  
And then queeny pulled out her three-pronged fork.  
Bloodlust in her eyes, she, too, set to work.

Onlookers were stabbed, rendered, and shredded,  
Even the judge was nearly beheaded.  
Bemused, Rose watched the cruel legal tableau.  
Terezi leaned close to whisper, “Time to go!”

Out of the hall both Pyrope and Rose fled,  
Away from the cries of both maimed and dead.


	4. The Retreat

Meanwhile, in other parts of Troll World Down Under,  
A different pair were retreating with plunder.  
Aradia had enlisted the aid of her moirail.  
(Though, really, it wasn’t hard after he’d heard Rose’s tale.)

Having snuck into the Condesce’s own keep,  
And with psionics knocked her guards out asleep,  
They navigated the passages therein  
Until they found where Mutie was held within.

With four-eyed cat in hand, their heist went off clean -  
And all thanks to the court distracting their queen.  
They dashed through the streets, avoided the riot ahead,  
Where queen and judge both were still caught up in bloodshed.

Slowing down from a conspicuous run  
And careful to hide just what they had done,  
They furtively slipped to their meeting spot.  
There was still the chance that they could be caught.

A minute later arrived both Terezi and Rose,  
Who ran over to give Mutie a kiss on his nose.  
Aradia laughed as she handed him over,  
Then said, “Let’s hurry up, before we’re discovered.

“Oh and by the way, this is my moirail Sollux!”  
Rose waved at the troll and shared a mutual, “Sup.”  
Then Terezi took that chance to greet her matesprit.  
Rose blushed and looked away while they noisily shared spit,

To which Aradia laughed. “Rose, you’re turning pink!  
“You should them with a pail.” She offered a wink.  
Holding her cat close to her chest,  
Rose ahem-ed. “Alright. Which way next?”

Oblivious to perceived social gaffe,  
Terezi broke off the kiss with a laugh.  
“The window you came through was past Peixes Square.  
“Just follow me close for the quickest way there.”

Once again they took off, all four single file.  
To reach the square itself they ran a full mile.  
It was deserted, nearly, and thankfully so -  
They passed right on through it and into a skid row.

Though both noble and brave was their endeavor  
Their good luck thus far could not last forever.  
And so it should come as no real surprise  
That they were jumped by four criminal guys.

They were four, also, and carapacian -  
Hissing and clattering like crustaceans.  
Clad all in black suits, the four brought their arms to bear.  
“Imperial dogs,” Aradia growled. “Beware.”

There was no avoiding it. They had to fight.  
Slipping one arm round Mutie, Rose held on tight,  
And pulled out a needle with her other hand.  
She’d come too far to fail now in this strange land.

Sollux crackled with light flashing bright blue and red,  
Terezi pointed her cane at the nearest’s head.  
But it was Aradia who moved first,  
Striking the leader with a loud shouted curse.

Knives were thrown and sparks flew through the air!  
Rose jabbed at the tallest debonair.  
The big one fell first - he hadn’t much fight -  
And the little one soon vanished from sight.

But the two blokes remaining fought with tooth and claw -  
Even against psionics, they were at a draw.  
Rose said aloud, “We’ve got to end this fast!  
“Otherwise I don’t think that we will last!”

“TZ and I’ve got this,” Sollux just said.  
“The two of you, go! Hurry on ahead.”  
“Come on,” cried Aradia, grabbing her hand.  
“We’ll regroup later! For now, though, let’s disband.”

They raced up some stairs that were tall, winding and steep,  
The battle below echoing up from the deep.  
When Rose glance back, Aradia offered a smile.  
“Don’t worry. They’re strong. We’ll see them in a while.”

Rose was nearly out of breath when they reached the top.  
She was quite thankful for their impromptu rest stop.  
But even more welcome was a pale glow  
Above them where hung her return window.

“We made it,” Rose grinned and said, “We really did this,”  
Then pulled Aradia close - gave her a sound kiss.


	5. The Homecoming

“Why, Rose! I’d almost swear you’re waxing red for me.”  
Aradia laughed, and Rose replied, “Well, maybe.”  
Mutie spoke up with a loud plaintive mew.  
“Hush, hush, I know - you want attention, too.”

“Now we have left to face just one final hurdle.  
“How do I get high enough to reach the window?”  
Rose tilted her head back, looking far up above.  
“It’d be no problem if I could fly like Yegg-Ha.”

“Just leave that to me!” The troll merely insisted.  
“Consider yourself psionically assisted.”  
Raising one hand and crooking her finger,  
Rose found with a start that she wouldn’t linger.

Enveloped by a dark ruddy force field,  
Her route back home was succinctly revealed.  
Holding her cat close, she glanced back below  
At the smiling troll amid the red glow.

“Thank you again for the help that you gave,” called down Rose.  
“Though I didn’t do much against the one you oppose.  
“Next time I promise that we’ll do rebellion right-  
“Just so long as my cat is safe at home that night!”

“Don’t sell yourself short,” she heard Aradia call back,  
Though already it was hard to see down through the black  
Of the gaping abyss that yawned wide just below  
As she continued to rise up through the window.

“That scuffle today was just the beginning!  
“Soon the resistance will be the ones winning!  
“And then we..” The rest of her words Rose couldn’t hear.  
She traveled in silence by unseen puppeteer.

Finally, finally, after what seemed like eons,  
She saw the window ahead glowing a faint neon.  
Carried on through and then set down, feather-light,  
Rose looked around at the lab. It was still night.

Her knitting needles still held tight in her offhand,  
She headed back toward where her adventure began.  
Down the lab’s halls, its many dusty floors,  
She retraced her steps to its huge front doors.

Out into the winter night and the cold  
Where snow still fell, heavy and uncontrolled.  
But with Mutie returned, so, too, was her hope -  
She even forgot any reason to mope.

It’d been so long ago that she’d had that fight -  
The one with her mother. Was this the same night?  
Her footsteps will still there amid the trees.  
Rose hurried ahead so she would not freeze.

And when she finally reached her house beyond,  
Her tracks were still there from earlier abscond.  
She slipped back in without making a sound,  
Though Mutie borrowed close and purred aloud.

Creeping upstairs next to her own bedroom,  
Rose flipped on a lamp to banish the gloom.  
Everything was just as it had been left  
From before her adventure and the cat-theft.

Except for a plate set up near her bed,  
Which had a ham sandwich on spiral bread  
And a glass of orange juice - no vodka, this time,  
Just an umbrella and sliver of lime.

Her dinner devoured, Rose got ready to sleep,  
Put on her jammies, and under covers she creeped.  
A weight against her and a ball of warm  
Was Mutie asleep, tired from the storm.

When she finally awoke, it was almost noon;  
So tired was she that it still felt far too soon!  
But suddenly her adventure came back in a flash -  
Quickly climbing from bed, out into the hall she dashed.

The clawmarks from before were nowhere to be seen,  
And the water on the floor had been mopped up clean.  
There was no sign of a fight or a thief.  
Rose looked around with mounting disbelief.

Did it all happen? Or was it a dream?  
Or were things all still not quite what they seemed?  
At a premonition, Rose went to check her coat,  
And from a pocket she withdrew a folded note:

“Dear Rose, I had fun meeting you! I hope you agree.  
“Let’s do it again. -Aradia. PS. Call me!”


End file.
